CSM anticipates that it will begin awarding certificates for Astroimaging and Observatory Operation (AOOC) in June 2015. Final authorization for the AOOC program is pending review by the Accreditation Commission for Community and Junior Colleges in May 2015.

At the heart of astronomy research are observatory operations and astroimaging techniques. Observatories all around the world are in need of technicians who can fulfill those tasks. Yet there are not many institutions that can provide the necessary training for such technicians.

The College of San Mateo Astronomy Department, with its roll-off-roof observatory, containing a wide selection of refracting and reflecting telescopes, as well as various imaging instrumentation, provides the training for students, who would like to pursue such a career. The students’ training is enriched by access to a well-equipped forty-foot domed, state-of-the-art planetarium, along with a dedicated faculty and staff, active in astronomical research. This program is designed to introduce the students to the operation of various telescopes and to the implementation of important astroimaging techniques such as spectroscopy and photometry, along with sophisticated software to process images. While the learning of the techniques is hands-on, the underlying principles are emphasized. Furthermore, this certificate program is designed such that students can, with a slight modification, apply the course load of this program toward higher degrees in astronomy or astrophysics.

Certificate Requirements

27-31 semester units

A grade of "C" or higher is required for each course applied to the certificate.